The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1887-03-09
WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENCE
WASHINGTON, D. c., !
Feb. 20, 1887.
EDITOR DEMOCRAT

LDlIok DEMoChAA
These are busy days in Washing
ton. Congress is hurrying thro' with
its business, and the citizens are busy
making ready for the great National
Drill in the coming May. Most Of the
States have notified the officers in
charge of the enterprise that they will
send troops. On Thursday the adju-
tant general of the State of Kentucky
was here completing arrangements for
the Kentucky troops. He states that
all the State troops would come, among
them being battalion of artillery. 1t
will be the biggest show that the city
has had for many year, and will out
rival the famous review of the Army
of Virginia held at the close of the
war, and which was more than two
days in passing given point. If the
coming drill be not as large in num-
bers as the review, it will far exceed
it in the variety and brightness of the
uniforms worn. Already applications
are coming in to the hotels by pros
pective spectators for rooms. The SOL
diels will encamp on the wide expanse
of grounds south of the Executive
Mansion and west of the Capitol, and
overlooking the beautiful Potomac in
to old Virginia. Washington is in the
height of its beauty in May, and the
soldier boys will have most delight
full time in their raid upon the Capitol
of their country.
Congress never worked harder than
it is working now, and strenuous eff
fort will be made to pass all bills of a
private character on the calendar and
not objected to. Up to Friday most
of the time was consumed in consider
ing bills of public nature. More Of
such bills will receive consideration,
but now all barriers have been thrown
down and bills will be railroaded
through. Until Friday a single Oh
Lection to calling up a bill out of its
regular order would prevent its con-
sideration. From that time, however,
the rules were suspended, and who
ever could get tue recognition of the
Speaker wonld get his private bill up
for action. A limit of three minutes
for and three minutes against any bill
was fixed for debate, and that practi-
cally put the bills to a vote immedi-
ately after reading the report of the
committee. Thursday was one of the
most exciting days of the session, the
question of passing the dependent pen
sion bill over the veto being the spe-
. cial order of the day. The House met
at IL o'clock and nearly an hour be-
fore that time the majority Of the mem
bers were present preparing for the
contest. The excited groups in many
parts of the House chamber showed
the importance of the struggle and
the doubt that hung over the final
effort. The speeches after the House
convened we're many and acrimonious,
Gen. Bragg, of Mississippi, in particu-
j, lar being extremely severe in his crit
icisms of the provisions of the bill.
The veto was sustained by vote Of
l75 to pass the bill over the veto to
1875 against, the constitutional two.
thirds not voting in favor Of the bill
and the veto was the sole topic dis
cussed in the hotel Hobbies the night
after it was taken.
! The house will unquestionably pass
the bill with the Senate amendments
providing for the Department of Agri.
culture and Labor, to which the Sig
nal Service will be transferred. II
seems to be equally certain that Com
missioner Colman, at present chief Of
the Agriculture Bureau, will be made
Secretary of the New Department.
1t is believed, too, that the Senate
will agree to the House amendments
to the fisheries retaliation bill, and
that the President will be in a posi-
ton to protect our interests and com
pei observance of our rights by the
time that the fishery season opens,
which will be shortly after the adj
tournament of Congress.
J At this writing it is impossible to
say who is the coming Secretary OF
the Treasury. 1t is very generally
conceded that Speaker Carlisle was